Clothes-line.



Patented May I, I900. F. N. RENFROW.

CLOTHES LINE.

(Application filed Nov. 14, 1899.}

(No Model.)

IIDOCDIOP fra/K WHDGSSCS UNITED ST TES" PATENT, OFFICE.

FRANCIS N. RENFROW', OF HILTON, MISSISSIPPI.

CLOTH ES-LINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters iatent N0. 648,670, dated may 1,1900.

Application filed November 14, 1899. Serial No. 736,956. (No model.)

and useful improvements whereby individual clothes-pins are dispensed with, and is particularly designed to improve the construction shown in my prior patent, No. 607,883, dated July 26, 1-89 As in my former patent, the present invention' employs a clothes-line composed of a plu- 'rality-of strands; and a further object of my invention is to provide an improved clamp for drawing the strands together, so as to bind;

firmly upon the articles to be suspended from the line, and to positively lock the clamp at a predetermined adjustment, so as to insure a proper binding of the strands and at the same time to permit of a convenient disen-= gagement of the clamp when it is desired to remove the articles from the line.

7 To these ends the presentinvention consists? in the combination and arrangement of parts, a as will be hereinafter more fully described, shown in theaccompanyingdrawings,and par-1 ticularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes in the form, proportion, size, and the minor details may be; made within the scope of the appended claims; without departing from the spirit or saerific-j' v z or handle -12, whereby the bracket 7may be ing any of the advantages of the invention.

In thedrawings, Figure 1 is a perspectivef View of a clothes-line constructed in accord-2 Fig. 2 is' a detail perspective view of the improved line-j clamp. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof, taken at right angles to the body member of the clamp. Fig. 4-is alongitudinal; sectional view taken at right angles to Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detail elevation of the upper poroutwardly in opposite directions, so as to pro= vide stop-shoulders 14 for limiting the out-- ance with the present invention.

tion of the body-clamp member.

Corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings are designated by like char actors of reference.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, 1

--and 2 designate the respective strands which form the clothes-line, and the opposite ends of the latter are connected to suitable sup ports 3 and 4, respectively, preferably in the form of upright posts, as shown in the drawin s.

ne end of the line is connected to a substantially U-shaped-staple 5, driven into the post or support 3, near the upperend thereof. This staple forms the fixed support 'for the line and is provided at opposite ends of its transverse portion with the loops or bonds 6, with which the ends of the respective strands are connected. By the provision of the 0pposite bends or loops 6 the staple may be driven into the support until its transverse portion engages with the outer side ofthe support, so that the staple may be firmly-braced and at the same time the loops or bonds project sufiiciently-to permit of the ready attachment and removal of the'strands, the ends 05 the latter extending transversely through the bends or loops and then twisted upon the main portions of the respective strands. The opposite end of the line is adjustably connected to the support 4 by means of a bracket 7, having a central longitudinal rib i 8, which is provided at opposite ends with openings 9, with which the adjacent ends of the respective strands are engaged, as described for the opposite ends-thereof. This bracket is adj'ustablytconnected to a block or support 10 by means of ascrew-threaded stem 11, which engages a suitable screwthreaded opening in the bracket. The outer end of thestem, next to the outer side of the support 10, is provided with an operating crank ward movement of the bracket and to prevent accidental displacement thereof from the adjusting-stem. It will be noted that the openings for the stem andzthe guide-rods are formed through the rib 8, and also the strands ICQ - has its opposite end'adjustably connected to a support, so that allslack may be taken up and the line maintained in a proper taut condition.

To clamp the strands together, I have provided an improved device comprising a body member 16, formed from a single length of .wire bent 'into an elongated loop, at the lower end ofwhich' the opposite portions of the wire'are twisted, as at 17, so as to close the loop, and the endiof the wire is bent into a ring 18, which forms a handle for moving the clamp upon the clothes-line. Adjustably mounted upon the bodyv member is a slidable .member 19, preferably in the form of a substantial rectangular metallic block, having a central longitudinal slot 20, slidably receiving the body member, so as to be movable longitudinally thereof. Near the lower end ,of :the slidable member there is provided a transverse slot or opening 21, extending entirely through the member and intersecting the slot 20 at substantially right angles thereto and alsocommunicating with the slot 22,

formed between the opposite sides of the body member. Slidable longitudinally through the slot 21 is a locking key or pin 23, which also -extends through the slot of the body member and projects at opposite sides of the movable member. 1 The' opposite ends of the pin or key are provided with enlarged heads 24 and 24,-respectively, to limit the movement of the pinor key in opposite directions, the head 24. being removable, so as to facilitate the en; gagement of the pin or key with the slidable and body members. One exterior face of the .slidable member is provided with an enlargement or seat 25, which surrounds the adjacent outer end of the slot 21, and bearing against this seat is a coiled spring 26, which loosely embraces the pin or key 23 and also bears against the inner side of the adjacent head 24, whereby the latter is normally held outward from the movable member and the .opposite head 24 is held in engagement with the opposite side thereof. At a point intermediate of the opposite ends of the pin or key the latter is reduced, as at 27, so as to form the opposite stop-shoulders 28. It will be understood that the reduced portion of the pin or key is of smaller diameter than the slot 22 in the body of the clamp, so that by pressing inward upon the head 2* said reduced portion 27 may be brought within the slot 22, whereby the movable member may be adjusted longitudinally of the body member. I

To lock the slidable member at'a predetermined point upon the body member, the inner edges-of the latter or the opposite edges of the slot 22 are provided with the opposite notches or recesses 29, which cooperate to form a lateral enlargement of the slot and are located near the upper end of the body member. As clearly indicated in Fig. 3, it will be seen that the larger portion of the pin or key 23 is adapted to fit in the enlargement form ed by the combined notches 29,and-there by prevents accidental movement of the slidable member upon the body member. When the reduced portion of the pin or key is received within the slot 22, the opposite shoulders 28 engage the opposite sides of the body member, so as to hold the spring 26 com pressed, and when the slidable member has been moved to aline the pin or key with the notches 29 said spring will automatically draw the key or pin into the notches, and thereby lock the slidable member. It will be observed that the slot 22 of the body member is'closed at opposite ends, and these closed ends are designed to engage the locking pin or key, so as to form stops therefor, and thereby prevent accidental separation of the clamp 7 members.

' It will be understood that the clothes-line is passed through the slot 22 of the body member and above the slidable member prior to securing the line to a support. To draw the strands together, the slidable member is moved toward the end of the body member until the locking pin or key automatically engages with the notches 29, whereby the upper end-of the slidable member is brought into close proximity with the upper end of the body member, and thereby clamps the strands together and between the clamp members. The upper end of the movable member is provided with a transverse socket or recess 30, intersecting the slot 20 at substan tially right angles and designed to receive the strands; as clearly indicated in Figs. 1 and 4 of the drawings.

Although I have shown but two clamping devices located adjacent to opposite ends of the clothes-line, it will of course be understood that other intermediate clamps may be employed, according to the length of the clothes-line. V

' From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the strands may be firmly clamped together by merely moving the slidable member until the locking-key automatically en,- gages with the notches 29 and may be readily released by pressing inward upon the head 24. and drawing the slidable member away from the line.

What is claimed isv 1. A line-clamp of the character described, comprising a body, having a slot to receive the line, and which is closed'atopposite ends, an adjustable member slidable upon the body member, and a locking device carried by the adjustable member and projecting into the slot, the ends of the latter forming stops for engagement with the locking device.

2. A line-clamp of the character described, comprising a body, having a longitudinal slot to receive the line, and which is closed at its opposite ends, an adjustable member, having a slot to slidably receive the body member, and a locking device carried by the adjustable member and intersecting the slots of both tudinally-slidable spring-pressed pin or key,

carried by the slidable member, extending through the slot in the body member, and having an automatic interlocking engagement with the latter.

' 4. Aline-clamp of the character described, comprising a body member, having a longitudinal slot, the latter being provided with a lateral enlargement, a movable member slidable longitudinally upon the body member, and a longitudinally-slidable locking pin or key, carried by the movable member, having an intermediate reduced portion slidably received within the slot of the body member,

and said pin or key also having a locking en: gagement with the enlargement of the longitudinal slot of the body member.

5. A line-clamp of the character described, 35 comprising a body member, having a longitudinal slot,.the latter being provided with a lateral enlargement, a movable member, having a longitudinal slot slidably receiving the body member, and also provided with a trans- 4o verse slot intersecting the longitudinal slots of both members, a longitudinally-slidable locking pin or key mounted in the transverse slot of the movable member, having an intermediate reduced portion for slidable en- 5 gagement with the slot of the body member, heads at opposite ends of the pin or key, a coiled spring loosely embracing the pin or key and bearing in opposite directions against the movable member and the adjacent head of the 50 pin or-key, and the latter having a locking engagement with the enlargement of the slot of the body member. y

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in 5 5 the presence of two witnesses.

hi FRANCIS N. X RENFROW.

mark

Witnesses:

W. V. THOMSON, S. W. Jorms'rorv, 

